A managed print service is used to manage the operation of printing devices, such as printers, scanners, copiers, multifunction devices and/or the like, in a unified fashion. In addition, a managed print service permits an enterprise to outsource management of its hardcopy devices to an external vendor, which allows the enterprise to focus on its core business.
Managed print services often provide supplies and repairs to an enterprise customer on a negotiated price per impression basis. Each device in a managed print service account may be equipped with a device manager that polls the device and collects information regarding the number and kind of prints the device has performed and other aspects of its current state and/or operation. A data warehouse typically contains information about an account and its devices. Account information includes a historical record of incidents that occur for each device. An incident may include a hardware or software issue that is generated by a device manager. The incident may be reported to, for example, a technician associated with a call center for the managed print service who resolves the related issue.
Some printing devices in a managed print service account require excessive attention because they generate an abnormally high number of incidents or requests for maintenance. Account managers for managed print service accounts are interested in identifying printing devices that negatively effect the revenue generated from an account and/or the price per impression that can be offered for the account. In some cases, these printing devices may have special problems that cause the printing devices to raise incidents. Identifying these printing devices and replacing them with better performing printing devices can lower the cost of maintaining a managed print service account.